- Waroona bushfire intensifies overnight
- Fire comes within metres of homes
- Waroona 'demon fire' destroys homes
- Bushfire causing Southbound driver delays
- Roads closed due to Waroona bushfires
- Emergency declared for Harvey
- Evacuation centre opened in Australind
- Man airlifted to hospital with burn injuries
- Fire forces closure of petrol stations
- Drakesbrook Winery's vineyards wiped out
- Smoke cloud detected on weather radar
- Community opens doors to those in need
- Bushfire smoke descends on Busselton
- Margaret River firefighters "Waroona is absolute mayhem"
A Perth woman's road trip to Busselton has been cut short after her car conked out following a nightmare detour through South West towns because of the bushfires in Waroona.
A massive blaze heading to the town of Waroona on Thursday has destroyed a vineyard, fences, sheds and a bridge, and caused a number of roads in the South West to be closed.
Michelle Soia left Perth at 8am to head to Busselton for a couple of days rest when she was diverted to Pinjarra because of the fires.
She went via Dwellingup, Boddington and Quindanning before her beloved 2006 Hyundai Sxi finally "died" just outside of Collie.
She had already been on the road for more than four hours because of the detours when her car finally gave up the ghost.
"The oil light came on, so I pulled over, then the battery light came on and it didn't do anything," she said.
"It had completely died. I've had that car since 2007 when I came back to Perth from England."
Ms Soia said she rang the RAC who organised her car to be towed to Collie.
The former journalist said it was just sinking in how lucky she was to have broken down away from the fires.
"I was thinking 'thank god' it was on a main road and I was just out of Collie," she said. "It could've been a lot worse."
Ms Soia said the traffic in Collie was "insane" with more than 10,000 music-lovers having to pass through the town to get to this weekend's Southbound festival in Busselton.
The travel time for revellers heading to the annual music festival is expected to be more than double the regular journey, with drivers having to detour via Boddington and Collie/Darkan to get from Perth to Bunbury.
"The tow truck driver said he's never seen so many people in Collie for 40 years," Ms Soia laughed.
Ms Soia is hoping to hitch a ride back to Perth with a couple of mates, but her moved-loved jalopy is heading to the junk yard.
